t the sweeps only sank into the mud without
moving the schooner. The sails had fallen off and they were flapping
and thumping and clapping in the wind. Others of the crew had
scrambled to their feet and ran to help those at the sweeps. The
lieutenant had walked quickly aft again. They were very close now to
the pirate sloop, and suddenly some one hailed him from aboard of her.
When he turned he saw that there was a man standing up on the rail of
the pirate sloop, holding by the back stays. "Who are you?" he called,
from the distance, "and whence come you? What do you seek here? What
d'ye mean, coming down on us this way?"

The lieutenant heard somebody say, "That's Blackbeard his-self." And
he looked with great interest at the distant figure.

The pirate stood out boldly against the cloudy sky. Somebody seemed to
speak to him from behind. He turned his head and then he turned round
again. "We're only peaceful merchantmen!" he called out. "What
authority have you got to come down upon us this way? If you'll come
aboard I'll show you my papers and that we're only peaceful
merchantmen."

"The villains!" said the lieutenant to the master, who stood beside
him. "They're peaceful merchantmen, are they! They look like peaceful
merchantmen, with four carronades and a long gun aboard!" Then he
called out across the water, "I'll come aboard with my schooner as
soon as I can push her off here."

"If you undertake to come aboard of me," called the pirate, "I'll
shoot into you. You've got no authority to board me, and I won't have
you do it. If you undertake it 'twill be at your own risk, for I'll
neither ask quarter of you nor give none."

"Very well," said the lieutenant, "if you choose to try that, you may
do as you please; for I'm coming aboard of you as sure as heaven."

"Push off the bow there!" called the boatswain at the wheel. "Look
alive! Why don't you push off the bow?"

"She's hard aground!" answered the gunner. "We can't budge her an
inch."

"If they was to fire into us now," said the sailing master, "they'd
smash us to pieces."

"They won't fire into us," said the lieutenant. "They won't dare to."
He jumped down from the cabin deckhouse as he spoke, and went forward
to urge the men in pushing off the boat. It was already beginning to
move.

At that moment the sailing master suddenly called out, "Mr. Maynard!
Mr. Maynard! they're going to give us a broadside!"

Almost before the words were out of his mout